A former associate general counsel at the Lagos Court of Arbitration is to become a partner in the New York-headquartered firm’s Paris office.

White & Case announced last Thursday (16 October) the promotion of 45 lawyers to partner, including a Nigerian-qualified disputes lawyer.

Paris-based international arbitration associate Tolu Obamuroh will become a partner as of 1 January, the culmination of nine years’ service at the global firm.

Obamuroh acts for clients on high-stakes and multi-jurisdictional mandates, including energy, infrastructure and construction disputes. He has acted for a number of African states and public bodies concerning power projects, shareholder disputes and licensing matters, in addition to resisting enforcement of awards, under several institutional rules including the ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICC) and London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

His work highlights include advising the respondent state in the ongoing International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) case of Korean National Oil Corporation, KNOC Nigerian West Oil Company and KNOC Nigerian East Oil Company v Nigeria.

Obamuroh spent two years of his early career as an associate at full-service Nigerian firm Babalakin & Co in Lagos, before a similar length of tenure at private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services provider the Lagos Court of Arbitration, where he was associate general counsel.

In a statement, White & Case chair Heather McDevitt said: “Our new partner class underscores the strength of our global practices and reflects the growing demand for legal services in the critical industries in which we lead,” and praised the new partners’ “steadfast commitment to collaboration across borders and practices”.

Also in Paris this month, African international firm Asafo & Co launched a technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) practice, hiring dual-qualified ex-Dentons lawyer Aïssatou Sylla to lead it.